Bar Hoppers
by cortez11
Summary: A small, seedy bar in a set-off bystreet in 25th century New York, in the middle of the night. Captain Future who is having a drink - incognito - suddenly gets addressed by Marshal Ezella Guerney who is on a quick stop during his night shift... Short story using the 40ies "film noir" style. *** I'm no native speaker, so please let me know if my English is too clumsy.


**Bar Hoppers** (English Version)

"Lo and behold... - hi, Future!"  
Completely taken by surprise, Future looked up from his drink. "_Please - not so loud._.. - What the hell are _you_ doing here...?"  
"Sorry," the Marshal replied. "Just a quick stop. I still have a long way tonight. And you...?" He eyed the Captain from top to toes.  
Future grinned. "From time to time, this is a good place for a stop-over... 'Known this bar for ever and a day. ...And luxuriate in being 'incognito', more or less," he said in a casual voice, or at least he tried to sound like that. Nevertheless, Ezella could swear there was a kind of strange undertone to it.  
"Hmm... trouble?"  
His counterpart stared at the glass in his hands. Its content was of a clear, yellowish colour, but Ezella could only guess whatever kind of drink this might be.  
Then, the Captain slowly shook his head. "No," he replied thoughtfully. "Business as usual."  
He turned the glass in his hands, eyes fixed on the substance in it, and finally took a sip. "Maybe _that's_ the problem."

"...What would you like, Honey?" The soft smoky voice was that of the lady behind the bar counter, a very attractive Venusian with long and dark curly hair, whose formidable looks were but emphasized by the tightness of her shirt.  
Ezella pointed at his neighbour's glass. "Whatever that is - I'd like the same, please," he answered and smiled at the barmaid.  
"Just a minute," breathed the Venusian.

Future grinned. "Leela seems to like you. Admit it, boy - you're not here for the first time..."  
At that moment, slender fingers placed a glass in front of the Marshal who turned around, nodding a short "thanks".  
Ezella grinned. "Nope." Very carefully he took the glass, eyed it sceptically as if the ice-less fluid in it could be poisoned, then he held it under his nose and took a deep breath.  
"Ahhrgh... What kind of booze is that? Smells like medicine..."  
"Don't bitch, my old friend, just give it a try."  
The first sip he took was burning like hell in his throat and nearly made him cough, but the second one turned out to be much more pleasant. And the taste reminded him of something like whiskey. At least.  
"That's definitely no bourbon," he noticed.  
"No. Islay Single Malt," Future replied ... "Much better than bourbon. And better than that oily stuff they've got on Megara."

Quietly, the Marshal put down his glass and looked at his counterpart who not only did withstand his penetrating gaze but also didn't flinch or turn away.  
Suddenly the idea struck him like thunder, and he broke into a wide grin. "Got it." Carefully he drew a little closer. "When people like us lounge around in bars, then it's mostly because of a _woman_, ain't it...?"  
Future kept deadpan and Ezella couldn't have noticed the hardly perceptable tension in his jaws if he wouldn't have know him for so long.  
_Strike!_  
Relaxed, he sat back. "Let me guess..." He took a deep breath. "...Joan Landor."  
"I know her name," Future replied grumpily and kept on kneading the glass in his hands before he took another sip.  
Ezella nearly cracked up.  
There he sat, just in front of him - the guy that solved the mystery of the Atavism Desease, the guy that fought off the invasion of the Megara troups and thus prevented an interstellar war... and obviously this guy was _lovesick!_ Good Graciousness... His shoulders were trembling as he desperately tried to suppress a fit of laughter, and he felt as if he was about to burst any minute.  
"Okay..." he gasped.  
Now the Captains' voice turned grim. "Not. A. Single. Word. Or..."  
_My goodness_... _I've had no idea it had hit you so hard, boy_, Ezella thought and couldn't help laughing. "No problem..."  
Only very slowly, the Captain relaxed again. "Thanks."  
"No offense."

The Marshal thoughtfully eyed his counterpart.  
He could understand the Captain's objections by all means - love affairs at work weren't exactly _safe_, and in _this_ job... they might be _fatal_. For all involved.

By the way... Agent Landor, he recalled suddenly, had made a somewhat similar impression on him. To him, she really didn't look as if she didn't feel attracted to Captain, he recapped their adventure on Megara two weeks ago.  
Attracted...? Ahh... nonsense.  
Smitten by him, that's what she was.  
That was quite apparent.

Hm... Really...  
These two obviously had sought and found each other - but not yet, on the other hand.  
No. He definitely didn't want to be in their shoes, neither in Future's, not in Joan's..

Thoughtfully, he lifted the glass and gulped down the rest of the Single Malt.  
"Ahh... I could get used to this." He smiled.  
"Better not..." Future now was back to his old self, and his voice had an amused tone.  
"Okay... I'm off then." Awkwardly, Ezella searched his jacket for a few coins and threw them on the counter. "Thanks, Leela." Then he turned around and looked at Future. "Can I drop you off somewhere...?"  
The Captain grinned. "No, thanks..."  
"Goodie. See you." Heavily he rose, gave him a nod, then he turned around and slowly forced his way out through the croud.  
Futures eyes followed him, pondering.

"Hey Kid - you're okay?" Leela's smoky voice dragged him back to reality. "Got any trouble with the cops...?"  
The Venusian had propped herself on her forearms on the bar counter, so that her counterpart couldn't help getting some in-depth insight. She knew that this would work nearly anytime on her clients, and this time she again proved to be right.  
Future smirked. "I'm okay, Leela."  
As she straightened up again, the Venusian's green eyes twinkled. "Would you like another one...? It's on the house."  
"No, thanks." Futures eyes glistened darkly. "By the way... I gotta go..."  
"What a pity."  
As he put his coins down on the bar counter - a generous tip included - she smiled at him. "Marshal Guerney is a nice cop, Kiddo."  
Future's glance was suprised - but knowing. "Yeah. Definitely." He winked at her. "Until next time."  
"Take care, Kid..."  
Thoughtfully she watched him leave.

He hadn't been in for the first time.  
He was one of the irregulars, she knew.  
And he reminded her _somehow_ of _somebody_... but she couldn't find out, _who exactly_.  
Ahh, never mind.  
But she wouldn't kick him out of bed, she thought, as she turned around and focused on her duty again.


End file.
